Empowering churches to offer vibrant Christian formation.
Partnering for Ministry
I serve as a mentor for parishes hoping to build more vibrant Christian formation ministries. With each congregation, my goal is to understand the local parish context and empower local leaders to establish sustainable, intergenerational ministries for the 21st century.
Guiding principles
Contextual
Every church has a unique set of gifts and challenges. One of my highest values in working with churches is customizing my approach to the specific context of that parish. Before offering any recommendations, I engage in an intentional listening process to gain a better understanding of the particular congregation.
Empowering
As a mentor for Christian formation leaders, I hope to equip local leaders for the work of forming disciples. Furthermore, I am always looking for ways to help congregations share the work in wider and wider circles. Faith is formed as we lead, teach, pray, learn, worship, and work side by side. The more gifts we can bring together in ministry the better! While I enjoy working with clergy colleagues, I am especially passionate about empowering lay leaders.
Intergenerational
Faith deepens in community. Children, youth, and adults of all ages need relationships with people ahead and behind them on the journey to grow into the full stature of Christ. In working to create vibrant formation ministries, I am always looking for ways to help people of different generations form meaningful relationships.
sustainable
Sustainability is essential for all churches, especially those working with limited resources. My goal is to guide churches in discerning the resources, gifts, passions, and capacities for Christian formation that already exist within the congregation but are not based on a single leader. We then strengthen those ministry areas by creating systems and processes that allow for stability, consistency, and smooth leadership transitions.
A Note to Smaller Parishes
I am particularly passionate about working with smaller parishes. Here’s why:
Smaller churches are uniquely positioned to offer incredible Christian formation for people of all ages. Faith communities with 150 or less weekly worshipers provide the perfect environment for nurturing faith formation because members organically form trusting, caring, intergenerational relationships. While these congregations might not be able to offer as many programs as large churches, when smaller churches are intentional about Christian formation they are able to provide opportunities for profound, life-giving, community-building, disciple-forming growth.